Wednesday Smells Funny…

Many moons ago I wrote about a quick-passing but legitimate smile when the conference standings have a palindromic order. That’s where we sit today, with two teams (Mason, Nor’easter) at 3-0 and two others (W&M and UNCW) at 0-3. The other eight teams sport a perfect four 2-1s with four 1-2s.

As I look at how we could finish this conference bludgeoning, I can absolutely smell a lack of order come March. If UNCW doesn’t get a home win tonight, I’m not sure they will win a conference game.

That defeats order, because nobody will be better than 14-4 or 15-3. A whole lotta teams will be between 11-7 and 7-11.

The Mossmen won’t be favored in any conference game the rest of the year. The best chance they have may be a 1/17 Trask visit from Drexel, but even that looks grim. The Dragons are much better than expected. The final nail is four of six on the road to close the season.

There is just so much that is odd about UNCW being at the bottom of the standings. It’s like walking into a neighbor’s house and dinner is on the stove and you cannot identify the smell.

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Statement Game: A roadie to go 4-0 before heading home for a huge rivalry game, or the legitimacy of a home win over the team playing the best basketball in the conference to get to 3-1? That’s like someone giving you $100 and asking if you want it in 20s or 10s. Between them, Pat Kennedy (468) and Jim Larranaga (414) have won 882 college basketball games. That means chess match, which means defense. Friar Jim 65, King Pat 61.

Nor’easter at Sou’Easter: CSS, CSN-NE at 7:00 television. The two schools are the furthest distance apart, but aside from ODU to W&M, there may be no easier road trip to make. Kids love planes, and I’m betting there are a billion from Boston to Atlanta. On the surface this smells like a Ga State win. The Panthers are pretty good and playing at home. To me, this game is exactly why Nor’easter will finish top three. Good teams win these games, and quietly Bill Coen has expanded his bench while giving an even-tempered lecture to his big men. Red Sox 58, Braves 54.

Delaware at Hofstra: This is a “go figure” game, in many ways. There’s no real way to assess two Jekyll and Hyde teams. However, Beach lines up the Hofstra Experience very well here with scary similarities. I’m betting if you click back late today there will be some sort of preview. I am nothing if not loyal. Loved Uter’s Hair 80, Ghost of David Henderson 66.

The College at UNCW: A MASN teevee audience will see this 7:00 tilt. Johnny Wolf will be playing with, at best, a bum ankle. Look for 30+ minutes from Kevon Moore and Jerel Stephenson. The frustration level is entering the red zone at the beach–a home loss to the Tribe, something that I don’t believe has ever happened, may be the proverbial straw. For W&M, a loss may begin the official teepee jumping season. I’m not sure we’ll see the standard conference standings graphic on MASN with these two 0-3 teams highlighted. Powhatan 74, Roanoke Island 66.

JMU at ODU: WSKY television at 7:00. Speaking of long droughts, it has been since January 12, 2000 since JMU won at Old Dome (can’t help myself). Taint happening here, either, unless Swanston and Wells start channeling Reggie Miller. ODU will play a pile of zone, kill JMU on the boards, and run away. Lions with a Crown 72, Dogs with a Crown 62.